Some of the most beautiful work of this craftsman, and many others, are in this book “Liège Gunmakers through their Work. 1800 - 1950”.
For more detail see: LIEGE GUNMAKERS
Henri Pieper
Biography.
Born in Soest (Westphalia) on October 30, 1840. Of modest origin, it makes technical studies with Soest then its training with Warstein.
It emigrates in Liege at the end of 1859 then resides successively at Herstal, Liege, Herstal and Verviers (1866). Little after its marriage it settles in Liege, street of Bayards n° 12 where it opens a workshop of mechanics and arms manufacture.
Its company thrives and increases.
In 1870 it increases the workshops of the street of Bayards which occupy from now on 6000 meter-squares; it creates a factory of guns of rifles with Nessonvaux in the valley of Vesdre. The mechanical manufacture of the weapons, primarily of the shotguns intended for export, represents the essence of the activity of the Pieper workshops.
In 1887, Henri Pieper joined the Manufacturers of weapons joined together, an association which gathers the factories Jules Ancion, Dumoulin brothers, Joseph Janssen, Pirlot-Frésart, Draws up-Laloux & Co, Albert Simonis and the brothers Emile and Leon Nagant with an aim of obtaining important orders for his members.
The following year, Henri Pieper takes part in the tests of the Belgian army in order to replace Comblain rifles in equipment by a repeating rifle. He presents several rifles at bolt with rectilinear action and rotary Schulhof or right store, of Mannlicher type. But it is finally Mauser which will be adopted under the denomination model 1889.
Henri Pieper takes part then in the creation of the National Factory which will manufacture this weapon; he will be administrator-delegate like one of the most important shareholders.
He will also leave his name associated with the development with the revolvers without gas loss whose alternative (model 1893) will be adopted by Mexico, at the same time as a rifle with barrel of the same type.
About 1897, the Pieper workshops will also launch out in the manufacture of bicycles and cars.
Henri Pieper will die prematurely the following year, August 23, 1898, at the 57 years age.
Production of weapons
Revolvers without gas loss models 1886, 1890 and 1893; shotguns of all types (with one or more guns, mixed, express train, with external dogs, Hammerless); rifles with a blow of the type Rolling Block, electric rifle; canardière-machine-gun; canardière with 7 blows with annular percussion; Optimus rifle with bolt; rifle Martini system; army rifles models 1887 and 1888; rifle with barrel model 1893, etc.
Patents deposited in Belgium
69 patents deposited of 1861 to 1896 in the field of the machines, shotguns, revolvers, cartridges and reducers, guns of rifles, Damas, various chargers of cartridges and ammunition belts, etc.
Trade marks in Belgium
Bayard (June 9, 1892); Eagle Gun Works, E.Leroy, Modified Diana, P crowned, H.Pieper, Diane, The Leader, Bayard Arms C°, Pieper Arms C°, Premier Arms C°, Damascus Compound, National Arms C°, Henry Arms C°, Royal Gun Works, Le Rationnel (January 4, 1894); Pieper Top Bolt, Schutz Marke, E-K, Eclipse Company, Metropole, Pieper' S Compressed Steel, Monarch Arms C° (of 1894 to 1898)
Register to the proof house of Liège : 1877 - 1898.
Flobert pistol from before 1898
Several patents of Henri PIEPER
1896
1896 (complements)
1897
